The Legacy Of Gen. Ridgway And America's War In KoreaThe ongoing conflict on the Korean Peninsula is the legacy of the Korean War, which helps explain relations between the north and south. In a new book, historian Victor Davis Hanson discusses how the strategies of U.S. Gen. Matthew Ridgway helped to turn around what appeared to be "a lost war."

The ongoing conflict between North Korea and South Korea is the legacy of the Korean War, which can help explain relations between the two countries. In a new book, historian Victor Davis Hanson discusses how the strategies of U.S. Gen. Matthew Ridgway helped to turn around what appeared to be "a lost war."

Hanson, author of The Savior Generals, tells NPR's Neal Conan that although the three-year war "ended right where it began," it did allow for South Korea to flourish as a democracy.

Conan also speaks with retired Marine Gen. Bernard Trainor about what it was like fighting on the ground in Korea, and about the continued U.S. military presence in the region.